


The Arranged Marriage

by telera



Category: Hannibal (TV)
Genre: Age Difference, Alternate Universe, Anal Sex, Angst, Arranged Marriage, Ass to Mouth, Dubious Consent, Innocence, Loss of Virginity, M/M, Oral Sex, Virginity, dowry, references
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-04-02
Updated: 2014-04-02
Packaged: 2018-01-15 07:36:32
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Underage
Chapters: 6
Words: 11,146
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1296748
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/telera/pseuds/telera
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>'You must get married, Hannibal. A rich and wealthy widower of the Baltimore high society is too much of an anomaly to be tolerated… indefinitely. People will start to see your pattern'.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * For [PinkToby](https://archiveofourown.org/users/PinkToby/gifts).



> [mean-cannibals](http://mean-cannibals.tumblr.com/) prompted: "Clueless virgin!will is basically being taught about sex *while* having sex with Hannibal, like Will is super-mega innocent and nervous and twitchy, and Hannibal is all soothing and patient and such…" and my Muse went wild with the idea. Bear with me, we'll get _there_ soon ^^ 
> 
> Please note Will is 17 in this story.
> 
> My fics are fantasy ONLY. I do NOT condone in real life some of the things depicted in my stories.
> 
>  
> 
> **IF YOU DON'T LIKE THIS KIND OF FIC DON'T READ IT. I WILL NOT PARTICIPATE IN ANY DISCUSSION ABOUT FICTION AND FANTASY. THANK YOU**

'You must get married, Hannibal'.

 

It was an old argument between him and his psychiatrist, one that came up every now and then. Hannibal left his chair and moved to look through the bay window of the living room.

 

'You know the reasons' Bedelia continued calmly 'A rich and wealthy widower of the Baltimore high society is too much of an anomaly to be tolerated... indefinitely. People will start to see your pattern'.

 

'And what pattern would that be, Dr. Du Maurier?'

 

'You engage in many social interactions but purposefully avoid the one which is required of you. It doesn't feel... right'.

 

Hannibal pursed his lips. He had a list of reasons he randomly used when people pestered him with the issue of marriage. And they did pester him. Every upper class family in Baltimore wrote to him at least about twice a week to invite him over for dinner so that he could meet their promising offspring. Young girls and boys who had been educated to be the perfect partners, all fertile and submissive and available to fill the roles of concubines too. It was a slave market under the pretence of civility, and Hannibal was sick of it. At least his distaste was genuine. He only hoped his psychiatrist was clever enough to see it.

 

But she had a point, and one Hannibal could no longer ignore. Picking a partner would go a long way to put an end to the persistent rumours that had been circulating about him lately. He got more and more stares and raised eyebrows whenever he went to the opera or theatre, and it was starting to become unpleasant. In the long run, it could even get... dangerous.

 

Hannibal turned around and sat down again.

 

'Would you find a partner for me?'

 

It wasn't every day that he could see surprise in his psychiatrist's face, and Hannibal savoured it slowly.

 

'A young boy who is far removed from all... this' he said, and with a wave of his hand he encompassed an old, rotting society grounded on ancient marital practices 'From another estate, from another _world_ , if at all possible'.

 

Bedelia considered him thoughtfully.

 

'You realize you'll still need to offer a dowry and sign the marriage papers'.

 

'There is only so much one can escape social norms' he replied 'But I'm determined to push them to the limit'.

 

Bedelia nodded and got her notebook from the table nearby.

 

'A virgin, I assume' she said writing something down.

 

'That goes without saying'.

 

'Fertile?'

 

'Not necessarily'.

 

'Age?'

 

'Not too young, not too old. Polite and well-mannered. That is all I need.'

 

She scribbled something quickly and closed her notebook.

 

'I'll see what I can do'.

 

'Thank you, Dr. Du Maurier. Aren't you going to congratulate me?'

 

Bedelia took her wrist watch off and gave a tiny smile.

 

'I think I'd rather congratulate the boy. When I find him. But we may have a glass of wine yet. White or red?'

 

'I think something pink, don't you?

 

\---

 

Two weeks later, Hannibal received a letter where a suggested dowry donation of $5000 was asked for one William Graham, a seventeen year old boy from Virginia. There was no picture included, and Dr. Du Maurier's fees had increased remarkably for the use of her own particular sources. Hannibal could have easily asked his lawyer to find him a partner, but he didn't trust him. The man had no taste, and Hannibal hated legal technicalities and language. Even now, he wrinkled his nose at the words _dowry donation_. No matter how politically correct terms lawyers used, it was still a distasteful  monetary transaction to settle an arranged marriage. A necessary evil he would have to live with.

A couple of details bothered Hannibal, though. $5000 was an incredibly low dowry, barely an anecdote considering the rich families in Baltimore were marrying their children away for nothing less than a six figure cheque. Mr. Graham was obviously not wanted by his family, if he even had one. Hannibal wondered why, especially as no photo of the boy had been included in the letter.

Also, prospect partners usually met at least once before signing the marriage papers, but these had already been included, and they only awaited Hannibal's signature to be official. He trusted Dr. Du Maurier's judgement implicitly, but for a moment Hannibal wondered if this had been a good idea after all. It didn't matter, he thought getting his fountain pen and signing the contract. It wasn't as if he were going to keep the boy for long anyway.

 


	2. Chapter 2

 

A couple of days later a car stopped in front of Hannibal’s house. He recognized Dr. Du Maurier’s BMW, and watched with curiosity as his psychiatrist and a skinny boy left the car. He looked dishevelled, and he bumped into Bedelia twice as she retrieved his suitcase from the trunk. His clothes were probably second hand, worn out at the knees and patched. The first thing Hannibal smelled when he opened the door was dog hair and motor oil.

 

'Good afternoon, Dr. Du Maurier' he greeted politely, and he looked at the boy with a little smile 'You must be William'.

 

'Will, sir' the boy whispered in a barely audible voice. He was pale and anxious, his eyes focused on the wood of the door and his hands trembling slightly. He was good looking, though, something that surprised Hannibal pleasantly. His wild mop of curls would have to be trimmed, of course, and his sparse stubble shaved, but all in all he looked nice and good.

 

'Will' Hannibal said 'It's a pleasure to meet you. Would yo like to come in, Dr. Du Maurier?'

 

'I am needed elsewhere' she apologized 'I'll see you for our next session. Congratulations, to both of you'.

 

'Thank you, ma'am' Will said with a southern drawl, and his anxiety increased as he saw her leave. Even more so as he entered the house and Hannibal closed the door behind him.

 

'Good' he said waving his hand for Will to enter his office 'Welcome home. I'm sorry we couldn't meet before all the documents were signed, but we can talk a little now'.

 

'Yes, sir' the boy replied sitting on the leather couch Hannibal kept close to the windows of his office. He looked around warily, frowning at the strange paintings and figurines on the shelves and opening his eyes wide when he saw the rows of books on the elevated floor.

 

'Don't call me _sir_ , Will. My name is Hannibal' he said pouring two cups of tea from the tray on his desk. He offered one to Will, who took it carefully and nodded.

 

'Thank you, sir' he said 'I mean- Han-Hannibal' the boy stammered closing his eyes 'Sorry'.

 

'It's OK' Hannibal said offering a dish of biscuits 'We're getting to know each other'.

 

Will picked one of the biscuits and immediately dipped it in the tea. It was such an innocent gesture, so natural and simple, that Hannibal couldn’t help a smile. It was unthinkable that any of the brats he had met during so many matchmaking soirees would ever dare to do something like that. But Will gave a hearty bite to the soaked cookie, munching it as a few crumbles fell uncaringly on his lap.

 

'It's- very good. Thank you'.

 

Hannibal snorted softly.

 

'Will, you don't have to thank me for the food. Or for anything else. You're my legal partner now, and it is my duty to look after you and cater to all your needs'.

 

The boy nodded, and Hannibal sat down in his therapy chair

 

'I understand you were living in Virginia' he said watching as Will's eyes focused on the cookies on the dish 'Were you born there?'

 

'In Louisiana' Will replied 'I moved to Virginia some time ago'.

 

Hannibal handed him the dish and Will grabbed another cookie.

 

'With your family?'

 

'No', was all he said, and Hannibal frowned when he didn't volunteer anything else. He decided not to press the issue, and made a mental note to find out more about it later.

 

'And what did you do in Wolf's Trap?'

 

'I fixed boat motors'.

 

'What about school?'

 

'I quit last year'.

 

Hannibal looked pensively at the boy as he continued munching the cookies. For a moment he couldn’t believe Dr. Du Maurier had brought him an orphan from the streets, half educated and famished. It was almost insulting. But then, it would make getting rid of him easier. Maybe that was her point.

 

'Is there anything you'd like to know about me, Will?' he asked to change the topic of conversation.

 

Will looked up and frowned at all the books on the shelves.

 

'Are you a librarian?'

 

'No. I'm a doctor. A psychiatrist'.

 

'And could I- could I read some of your books? I only have one'.

 

'Of course' Hannibal replied in mild surprise 'This is your home now, what you see here belongs to you as per our marriage'.

 

The boy nodded and sipped his tea, and Hannibal wondered if he had actually read the terms of their contract.

 

'What book do you have?' he asked, unable to suppress his curiosity.

 

The boy beamed then, and he left the saucer and cup on the couch to open the suitcase at his feet.

 

 _'Songs of Innocence and Experience_ , by William Blake' he said proudly, and handed the book to Hannibal. As the doctor flipped through the pages, he saw a stamp of the New Orleans Public Library and many underlined passages.

 

'Why do you like these poems so much?'

 

'Because he saw things, he- I mean, Blake, when he was a child, he had visions and wrote poems about them'.

 

'I see' Hannibal said considering the notes somebody had written on the margin of one page. He didn't know if that was Will's handwriting, but the words  _nightmare of caterpillars in my ear_  gave him pause. That was something else he would need to investigate later.

 

'Well, you can borrow all the books you want. I actually advise you to take a few, as I'm seeing several patients today and I won't be meeting with you again until the evening. We'll have dinner with the notary, and once he has certified the consummation of our marriage, we'll begin our honeymoon'.

 

Will looked at the doctor blankly.

 

'Consummation?'

 

Hannibal raised an eyebrow in surprise.  _From another world_ , he had told Bedelia, and it seemed the psychiatrist had followed his instructions to the letter.

 

'Yes' Hannibal replied slowly 'Our contract won't be legally binding until then'.

 

Will furrowed his brow in confusion.

 

'And is there something I must do?'

 

It took all of Hannibal’s skills as a psychiatrist to keep his face calm and impassive. Under some other circumstances he would have laughed, and for a moment he thought that maybe the boy was joking. But the look on his face was one of genuine anguish. Will didn’t know what he was talking about.

 

'Will' he said leaning forward in his chair 'What do you know about sex?'

 

A hot blush tinged his cheeks then, and he started to squirm nervously on the couch.

 

'S-sex?'

 

'Yes, sex'.

 

'Well, I- hum- Well, it's something I—' he trailed off, looking around the office as if he could find some help or inspiration from the furniture 'Something I, hmm, I guess it's—  _fine_?’

 

Hannibal couldn’t believe the boy was honestly  _embarrassed_  by his question. Any rich and wealthy youngster in Baltimore knew all about sex, as most received a thorough education to please their future partners. In their effort to make a good match, the aristocratic families provided private tutors that trained the teenagers to satisfy any and all sexual needs that could arise in their marriage. However, their virginity was skillfully preserved, that’s why a notary was needed on the wedding night to certify that the boy or girl in question met the requirements of the dowry.

 

As he considered Will closely, Hannibal wondered how a seventeen year old had grown so innocent and clueless. At their age, the daughters of his patients were all buying  _cherry pillows_ , a euphemism for silky cushions where a few droplets of blood were collected during their wedding night. These pillows were later kept and showed proudly with the family album, and they had become so popular that many boys were now also following this fashion.

 

'Will, in a case like ours a conjugal act as certified by a notary is mandatory, otherwise the marriage could be annulled. I know it sounds intimidating, but he will only need a minute. Do you understand?'

 

Will shook his head  _No_ , and he looked so lost and confused that for a moment Hannibal was genuinely touched.

 

'We'll continue this conversation later' he said checking his watch 'My first patient will arrive shortly. Remember you can go wherever you want in the house, but you mustn't enter my office during my sessions'.

 

He stood up and Will did the same. He still had a half bitten cookie in his hand, and he put it in his pocket quickly.

 

'Get a few books. The literature section is right under the Japanese masks'.

 

The boy nodded and climbed the ladder of the mezzanine to select some tomes. He picked them quickly and at random, and descended with a faint blush.

 

'Th-thanks, Hannibal' he muttered, and the doctor showed him to the staircase that would lead him to the upper floor of the house.

 

'I hope you enjoy the books. And be ready for dinner time. You'll find clean clothes and all the necessary supplies in the bathroom. I expect you to be ready at 6 p.m'.

 

The boy nodded and bit his bottom lip. He was about to ask something, but in the end he decided against it.

 

'Good afternoon' he muttered instead, and left up the stairs.

 

As Hannibal watched him leave, he realized Dr. Du Maurier’s motives hadn’t been so simple when picking this boy for him. They followed a logic Hannibal had yet to unravel, but one thing was clear- the boy was a diamond in the rough. Bedelia had seen as much, and so did Hannibal. As he entered his office to get everything ready for his first session, Hannibal made a mental note to buy her favourite perfume when he visited New York for the next opera season. 

 


	3. Chapter 3

 

'Hello, Jack' Hannibal said on the phone.

 

'Hannibal, old friend! I was about to call you because I may arrive a little late for dinner tonight. I'm having an extremely busy day at the office, and I won't finish until six or so. But I'll be there, don't worry. I can't wait to meet your partner.'

 

'I'm sorry, Jack, but I'm afraid I must cancel the wedding dinner. Will has fallen sick. Food poisoning'.

 

'Oh, no. Is it serious?'

 

'No, that's why we'll continue with the consummation as planned. Only we'll skip dinner. My apologies'.

 

'Just the other day I had a very similar case, you know. A girl spent the morning of her wedding drinking and eating with her friends to the point she had such an indigestion later that she wasn't able to dine anything. Poor thing, she was desolate. A whole year expecting that night, blogging about it, buying the best clothes and jewels... '

 

'Well, I'm sure Will will feel better soon'.

 

'Indeed, the mere idea of having made such a match should keep him happy for the rest of his life' he chuckled 'I'm looking forward to meeting the boy who made you settle down at last, Hannibal. Five years we've been waiting. When have you planned the conjugal act?'

 

'I suppose I'll start somewhere around 7 p.m. But I can't be certain. It may be later, depending on how Will feels'.

 

'Don't worry, in twenty-five years as a notary I've seen it all. Newly weds have called me within five minutes of entering their bedroom, to almost seven hours after locking the door. It's my job to wait, please take your time'.

 

'Thank you, Jack'.

 

'Oh, and before I forget. Is your boy into that crazy cherry pillow thing?'

 

'No, I don't think he is'.

 

'Good. Because only last week a newly wed insisted that she didn't like the way the blood had spotted her pillow, and I was asked to find a new one in the middle of the night. Since then I'm advising everybody to buy an _extra_ cherry pillow just in case'.

 

'That won't be an issue, Jack. Thanks for the advice anyway. I'll send a text when Will is ready'.

 

'Excellent. Have a good wedding dinner. And send my regards to Will. He must be a very special boy'.

 

Hannibal smiled fondly.

 

'Yes, he is'.

 

\---

 

When the last of Hannibal's patients left, it was ten past six. The doctor ordered his notes, switched the lights of the office off and climbed up the stairs to find Will in the guest room. He had changed into the clothes Hannibal had bought, and his hair was still damp from the shower. The TV and computer were off, and he was quietly reading with an old pair of glasses on his nose.

 

‘Hello, Will’ Hannibal said entering the room.

 

‘Oh’ he startled ‘He-hello, I didn’t hear you coming’.

 

Hannibal looked with curiosity at the book on his lap.

 

‘What are you reading?’

 

‘Hum, _The Three Musketeers_. It’s very good!'

 

‘Yes, it is’ Hannibal said with a little smile ‘Has D’Artagnan joined the Musketeers yet?’

 

‘No’ the boy replied with a frown ‘Rochefort has stolen his letter’.

 

‘A-ha, but they’ll meet again soon, you'll see'.

 

'Have you read it?'

 

Hannibal snorted softly.

 

'I have read all the books in my office, Will'.

 

The boy opened his eyes wide.

 

 _'All_ of them?' he asked in awe.

 

'Yes. I hope you'll enjoy reading them as well. But now' he said looking at his watch 'Is dinner time. Are you hungry?’

 

Will hesitated before replying.

 

‘A-a little’.

 

‘Let’s make it an early dinner then. Unfortunately the notary called me earlier, and he won’t be joining us due to a previous commitment. It’ll only be you and me’.

 

The boy relaxed at the news and let out a sigh of relief. Just as Hannibal had planned.

 

'OK' he muttered leaving the book and glasses on the table.

 

'Excellent. Would you like to help me with the appetizers?'

 

\---

 

Hannibal had spent several days planning what would be his third and final wedding menu. It was a pity that tradition dictated that only the notary was allowed to dine with the newly weds, because this menu deserved the attention of the cream of the Baltimore society.

 

As it was, only Will would be enjoying it, but Hannibal didn't mind. His previous partners had been so nervous and excited that they had barely eaten anything during their wedding dinner, but Will had a very good appetite despite his obvious anxiety. Hannibal watched him eat through the _Hors d'ouvres_ quickly, drink the lemon sorbet, munch the duck confit in earnest and help himself to two servings of baby lamb and sweet potato puree. He was so focused on the food that he barely talked at all, and it was only after dessert -a delicious champagne gelee with fresh currants- that he said something.

 

'Hannibal, I- I know I'm not supposed to thank your for-' he trailed off 'for anything, but I just wanted to say' Hannibal raised an eyebrow 'I have enjoyed the dinner very much. I had never had anything like this before'.

 

Hannibal was used to receiving so many high-sounding compliments from aristocratic socialites that he found the boy's simple and natural sincerity refreshing.

 

'Thank you, Will' he said taking a sip of his wine.

 

'And- also I wanted to say' he closed his eyes and swallowed hard 'That I know about sex, I mean, I've seen it on TV and I know you're going to make love to me now and it's fine'.

 

Hannibal said nothing, and Will continued wringing his hands nervously.

 

'I- I mean before when you asked-- I didn't know about the notary, and I don't know what he is supposed to do but that doesn't mean I'm silly- or- or-- anything'.

 

The boy was so innocent in his honesty that Hannibal couldn't help a tiny smile. The topic of conversation was far from appropriate while dining, and from someone else Hannibal would have certainly consider it rude. But with Will he was ready to make an exception.

 

'Will, I don't think you're silly or anything. As a matter of fact, I'm glad you've grown so distanced from this… world'.

 

'I'm not glad' Will said bluntly 'All my life I've always been poor'.

 

There was sadness in his voice, but even more resentment, and he stabbed a stray cranberry with his fork with more force that was necessary. 

 

'I'm sorry, Will' Hannibal said, and there was more truth in his words than what used to be when he uttered them in similar circumstances 'I hope the donation… makes your family more comfortable'.

 

'My _real_ family' the boy corrected.

 

'What do you mean?'

 

'Dr. Du Maurier explained that I couldn't keep the donation by law, since you would provide for me from now on. She said it usually went to the family but...' a shadow passed through his face 'Anyway, my only real family are my dogs, and as I couldn't bring them here, I told her to give it to the shelter'.

 

For a moment Hannibal couldn't believe his dowry had gone to feed a bunch of mangy dogs in a nameless shelter. He was so shocked by the news that he barely heard what Will said next.

 

'Do you think… we could visit them sometime? I miss them badly.'

 

'Mm?' he murmured with a little frown, and the boy smiled.

 

'They're very good, I trained them myself. Winston is my favourite, I found him on a road one night. And then there's Jasper and Applesauce and Wellington, Dakota, Amber and Beauty.'

 

Hannibal recalled the smell of dog hair on Will's clothes from when he first met him that morning, but he never imagined the boy had seven dogs. He wondered how much more there was to Will that he didn't know, and what other secrets and mysteries he kept. It would be intriguing to learn all about them... but not tonight.

 

'We'll talk more about this in the morning' he said leaving the table and getting a card from the fireplace 'The notary is not here, but he will take my word that the wedding night commences according to tradition'.

 

Will tensed as he was handed the card, and looked at Hannibal in confusion.

 

'I'll pronounce one sentence now, Will, and you need to reply reading what's on the card. We cannot lock the door of our bedroom until this little ceremony has taken place. Are you ready?'

 

The boy trembled slightly, but he nodded and said:

 

'Yes'.

 

' _In family, name and flesh united..._ ' Hannibal intoned.

 

 _'… my shelter, companion and life hereafter'_   Will muttered.

 

'Good' Hannibal said with a smile 'It was very easy, wasn't it? Now we can go upstairs'.

 

'To the bedroom?' Will asked with a shaky voice.

 

'Yes, Will. To _our_ bedroom'. 

 


	4. Chapter 4

 

'Here we are' Hannibal said entering the master bedroom.

 

Will frowned and looked nervously around him. The room was as lavishly decorated as the rest of the house. There were Japanese paintings on the wall, dark curtains with an elegant pattern and a king sized bed that dominated the whole bedroom.

 

'Tradition dictates that only the notary is allowed to enter' Hannibal said locking the door and pushing the key under the door to the corridor 'We cannot leave until the consummation is over, but don't worry. There is an en suite bathroom and two trays of food prepared for us. In case we need a snack through the night'.

 

The boy shifted his weight nervously from one foot to the other.

 

'Make yourself comfortable' Hannibal said 'I haven't had time to empty one of the wardrobes for you yet, so leave your clothes on the armchair when you strip. I'll be right back'.

 

He moved to the walk-in closet then, to hang his suit and put on his navy blue robe. Hannibal had prepared all the supplies they would need for their wedding night well in advance, but experience told him the key with a virgin was always patience and naturalness. A good dose of sense of humour also helped, and tonight he knew he would be needing all those with Will. The boy was such a bundle of nerves that a full body massage would be a good idea to calm him down. Hannibal kept a bottle of almond oil in the bathroom, and he was leaving the walk-in closet to get it when he froze on the spot.

 

Will was kneeling on the bed, wrapped in the duvet as if it were some kind of protective cocoon. Only his face was visible, and he was trembling slightly. He looked comical without meaning to, and Hannibal couldn't suppress a little amused smile as he walked towards him.

 

'Will' he said sitting on the bed 'What are you doing?'

 

'I- I don't want you to see me naked'.

 

For a moment Hannibal thought that this was a joke, but the look of anguish on Will's face was genuine.

 

'Will' he started with a patient sigh. Only a moment before he was thinking about the skills needed to consummate a marriage with a virgin, and now Hannibal realized his abilities would be tested to the limit tonight.

 

'Will' he repeated putting some order in his thoughts 'What's wrong with your body?'

 

'N-Nothing' the boy muttered.

 

'Then why don't you want me to see it?'

 

He shrugged.

 

'I thought that maybe- maybe we could do it like in the movies. With our clothes on'.

 

Hannibal raised an eyebrow.

 

'What movies are those?'

 

The boy gave a another shrug.

 

'The movies they show on TV, you know'.

 

'And what happens in those movies?'

 

'It's- it's always the same, like…' Will closed his eyes 'This guy who is in love with this girl and- and they have dinner together and then they go to her house and-- they make love'.

 

'I see' Hannibal said slowly 'And how do they do it?'

 

Will gave him a one shoulder shrug from under his makeshift cocoon.

 

'With their clothes on'.

 

Hannibal stared at him for a long moment, realizing the boy may _literally_ not know about the basics of sex, impossible as that sounded.

 

'Will' he said in a gentle tone 'None of us is a woman'.

 

Now it was Will's turn to stare blankly at him.

 

'I _know'_.

 

'Do you?'

 

The boy looked at him as if the doctor had just sprouted a second head.

 

'What I mean is, do you know how men have sex?'

 

Will nodded.

 

'Jimmy and Alex were suspended because the principal found them in the bathroom'.

 

'I see. And what _exactly_ were they doing?'

 

'I wasn't there, but Luke said Alex was kissing Jimmy's dick'.

 

Hannibal tilted his head in curiosity.

 

'And how did that make you feel?'

 

Another shrug.

 

'Think about it. Your friends were suspended because-'

 

'I had no friends at school' Will bluntly said.

 

Hannibal paused for a moment. This wasn't going as he had intended. Maybe he should take a different approach.

 

'And has somebody… played with you like this?'

 

Again Will looked at Hannibal with a strange expression on his face.

 

'Do you want to kiss my dick?' he asked in confusion, and Hannibal couldn't help a light chuckle.

 

'I want to kiss your hand, Will. May I?'

 

The boy hesitated for a moment, but in the end he pulled his hand from under the folds of the duvet.

 

'Thank you' Hannibal said taking it to his lips and kissing it tenderly. It was cold and clammy, and he kissed it again, laying a trail of feather soft kisses on his fingers and knuckles.

 

'Does this feel good?'

 

Will furrowed his brow as the tender kisses continued around his thumb and wrist.

 

'Y-yes'.

 

'Good' Hannibal said letting go of Will's hand 'Would it feel good if I did the same with your nape?'

 

The boy tightened the duvet around him protectively.

 

'Only your nape' Hannibal promised 'You can keep the duvet all night long if that makes you comfortable'.

 

Will relaxed at that.

 

'OK'.

 

He let the duvet slip down his head to reveal his neck and shoulders, and Hannibal smiled. His skin was soft and smooth, and he gave a tiny kiss to a little mole, nuzzling and caressing the boy's nape lovingly.

 

'You're very beautiful' Hannibal said laying many more kisses on his skin, and the boy turned around with a frown.

 

'Why do you say that?'

 

Hannibal stopped his tender ministrations for a moment.

 

'Because it's true' he said in mild surprise.

 

The boy mulled over the words chewing on his bottom lip, as if they didn't make sense.

 

'You mean it?'

 

There wasn't fear in his question, or suspicion of any kind. Will was not wary, only _surprised_. As if he had never thought about himself that way, or nobody had ever told him so.

 

'I do, Will'.

 

A long list of adjectives came to Hannibal's mind to praise and soothe the boy, but he uttered none. Somehow he knew simplicity would work better with Will. And it did, for he smiled a little then.

 

'I like to be beautiful' he said, and Hannibal returned his smile.

 

'May I kiss your shoulder now?'

 

Will nodded, revealing more of his skin and shuddering as Hannibal kissed it. He let out his first involuntary moan when the doctor gently nipped the delicate flesh where shoulder met neck, and he lolled his head to the left as he felt his lips running up his neck.

 

'Does this feel good?' Hannibal asked inhaling the curls of the boy and lapping at his hairline.

 

Will's only response was to grip the duvet as a shiver went down his spine. A wolfish grin tugged at the corners of Hannibal's mouth, and on a whim he engulfed Will's ear hungrily. It was such a shock that the boy startled and yelped in surprise, scooting away from him like a frightened squirrel.

 

'I'm- I'm sorry' he gasped 'I- I--'.

 

'No, _I_ am sorry' Hannibal apologized 'You're very sensitive, I'll be more careful'.

 

The boy looked at him warily, his chest heaving slightly with the overload of sensation.

 

'Let me try again?' he cooed, and Will nodded. He moved to Hannibal's side once more, and the doctor sat right behind him. He inched the duvet down and kissed his earlobe with infinite care and tenderness.

 

'Beautiful' he whispered as he swirled his tongue around the shell of his ear.

 

The boy shuddered as Hannibal lay many kisses and playful nips on his sensitive flesh, and when he was satisfied that Will wouldn't startle again, he moved to his other ear to lap and lick it in the same way. The boy was exquisite, and he was letting out tiny, choked gasps as if he were trying to contain a pleasure that he didn't know how to express.

 

'Let go' Hannibal whispered placing his hands on his shoulders and inching the duvet further down 'I like to hear you'.

 

'Y-you do?' Will asked with the same innocence as before, and Hannibal smiled against his skin.

 

'I love it' he said giving playful little bites around his shoulder blades 'It makes me feel good'.

 

Will closed his eyes and moaned, a deliciously long sound that became more guttural as the doctor slid his hands under his armpits to caress his smooth chest. Hannibal was very slow and careful so as not to frighten him again, and he ran his fingers in circles around his nipples, pinching and rubbing them softly. It was an intoxicating experience to lay claim to such an innocent boy, to imprint a unique pattern of caresses and touches to which Will would inevitably respond from now on.

 

'Ow' he groaned as Hannibal pinched his nipples with a little more intensity.

 

'Does it hurt?'

 

'A- a little' Will breathed, but Hannibal continued to apply more pressure, counting the seconds to see how far he could push his threshold of discomfort.

 

'Be a good boy' he whispered licking his finger pads to squeeze his nipples again 'And take it for me'.

 

Will winced when his nipples were pinched again, and he leant back on to Hannibal, resting his back on the doctor's chest in an attempt to escape from the teasing pain.

 

'Nnng' he moaned clawing his hands on the mattress. The duvet parted then, falling to his sides to reveal a quivering erection that made Hannibal grin. He let go of the reddened nipples, thumbing the nubs soothingly and revelling in the soft pants the boy was making.

 

'Will' he cooed into his ear as his hands snaked down his chest to caress his belly 'Do you touch yourself sometimes?'

 

Will opened his eyes and tensed immediately.

 

'Oh God' he breathed when he saw his hard dick exposed 'I'm- I'm so ashamed!'

 

He tried to close his legs and reach for the duvet again, but Hannibal wouldn't let him.

 

'Don't' he said grabbing his wrists in a gentle but firm grip 'I like to watch you. You are perfect like this'.

 

'No' Will sobbed squeezing his eyes shut 'Please don't look at me'.

 

Hannibal lay a kiss on his head and cradled him softly in his arms, giving Will time to get used to the idea being naked in front of another person. He was sure nobody had seen the boy naked since he was probably a child, and the experience had to be overwhelming for someone as special as Will. The doctor started a little hum to calm him down, and followed the melody for a few moments until he sang in a soft voice: 

 

 _'Gloria, gloria al bel corpo discinto che il mistero ignorato ora sa_ _ **[1]**_ _'_.

 

'Are you laughing at me?' he sniffled.

 

'My dear Will' Hannibal said holding him close to his chest 'I could never laugh at you'.

 

'Then what were you saying?' he said cracking an eye open to see his stubborn erection was still there.

 

'An aria from an opera I like. Maybe we can listen to it together'.

 

'I don't like opera' Will frowned.

 

'Tell me a song you like then' the doctor said as he resumed his gentle caresses over Will's chest 'I may know it'.

 

The boy said nothing for a moment, but in the end he let out a shaky breath.

 

'You won't know it' he muttered.

 

Hannibal dipped his finger into Will's navel playfully.

 

'Try me'.

 

The boy licked his lips and started out of tune:

 

 _'I feel so bad I've got a worried mind… I'm so lonesome all the time…'_  he trailed off and craned his neck to look at the doctor 'Do you know it?'

 

'No' Hannibal lied 'How's it called?'

 

'It's _Blue Bayou!_ ' Will exclaimed 'How can you _not_ know it?'

 

'Sorry' Hannibal apologized, satisfied that the boy was more relaxed now 'I'll have to listen to it with you'.

 

Will gave a little smile, but the respite was short lived. He furrowed his brow in anguish when he looked down his body again, and he bent his legs in an attempt to hide his erection.

 

'Will' Hannibal said nipping his earlobe 'I know you feel embarrassed. But you shouldn't be. Remember you're very beautiful'.

 

'I'm not beautiful _there'_  he said closing his eyes.

 

Hannibal chuckled lightly.

 

'That's where you're _most_ beautiful'.

 

'No'.

 

'Yes'.

 

'No'.

 

'Shall I prove it to you?'

 

The boy opened his eyes at that.

 

'How?'

 

Hannibal grinned then, and lifted the boy off his lap to make him lie on the bed.

 

'You'll have to trust me' he said kneeling between his legs 'Because I'm not going to hurt you. I only want you to feel good'.

 

Will tensed his muscles when Hannibal spread his knees wide.

 

'Are you going to kiss my dick?' he asked in fear.

 

'No' Hannibal replied 'I'm going to suck it. It feels better that way'.

 

'Wait!' Will exclaimed when the doctor nestled his head between his thighs, but Hannibal simply hushed him.

 

'Shhh' he soothed, nuzzling the boy's hard dick and giving a playful lick around his cockhead 'Did that hurt?'

 

'N-no, but-'

 

'What about this?' Hannibal said lapping the tip again and tickling him with his tongue.

 

'It's-s… _dirty'_   he gasped.

 

'There's nothing dirty in you' Hannibal said caressing his inner thighs to help him relax 'You are beautiful, each and every inch of you' he gave another lick, and then another, until he finally closed his lips around the cockhead and sucked a little, carefully, lovingly. Hannibal was rewarded with the sweetest sob he had ever heard, pure and innocent unlike anything else.

 

'Shh' he said blowing a little air on the moist tip of his cock and inhaling the musky scent of the boy 'You're doing very well'.

 

Hannibal guided the boy's shaky hands to his head and wrapped his mouth around the quivering tip once more. He continued sucking around his mouthful, inching his way down with a constant hum until he swallowed his cock whole.

 

'Mngrhaa!' Will cried in pleasure and surprise, digging his nails into Hannibal's scalp and pulling his hair in a painful fist.

 

Hannibal continued unperturbed, though, feeling the boy's cock throbbing in his mouth and wishing it would last more than he knew it would. It must have been only a couple of minutes when he felt Will's balls rising and his hips arching off the bed, but it was to be expected. Lasting so little was only proof of his virginity and evidence that this was his first time ever, something that made Hannibal rumble possessively in his chest.

 

'Ah-ah!' Will cried, pushing into the doctor's mouth until his cock slipped down his throat and his whole body spasmed. Hannibal felt the first spurts and swallowed with gusto, relishing in the bitter taste and committing it to his memory. He was satisfied that the boy's ejaculation was so copious, and he sucked his cock hard, feeling it twitch in his mouth until the last drops of come dribbled on his tongue. And still Hannibal nursed the boy's cock for a while, licking it clean and mouthing it until it was finally soft and limp. He slid up the bed then, embracing the boy in a tight hug and spooning him from behind, feeling as he shuddered and gasped in complete surrender.

 

This was the perfect time for their first kiss, and Hannibal pressed his lips to Will's mouth, kissing him softly and enjoying the little gasps he was letting out. His face was flushed and red, and Hannibal kissed him again, wiggling his tongue into his mouth to tease and taste him. The boy frowned in surprise and tried to spit him out, something that Hannibal found endearingly sweet.

 

'We'll try again later' he chuckled, avoiding a deeper kiss for the moment.

 

'Have we-' the boy said trying to catch his breath 'Have we made love yet?'

 

Hannibal stroked a dark curl off his forehead with his thumb.

 

'Rest a little' he said covering him up with the duvet 'We have a long night ahead of us'.

 

Will wanted to say something, but his eyelids were too heavy all of a sudden.

 

'Mghsys' he murmured, relaxing in the doctor's embrace and drifting off to sleep.

 

Hannibal spent a few minutes nuzzling the boy's nape and smelling his scent, sweet and pungent and so very unique. After a while he kissed his shoulder and tucked him in, watching his peaceful face as he slept in complete bliss. He was truly beautiful, this boy.

 

Hannibal got his iPad from the bedside table then and put on his reading glasses.

 

_To: Jack Crawford_

_Soon._

 

 

[1] “Glory to the undressed beauty who now knows the mystery.” ( _Turandot_ ).


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's been ages, I know!! But here'a a little (dark) update, hopefully I can wrap this fic up soon ^=^ Thanks for your patience and support, ilu all so much xx

Hannibal woke up to the unmistakable sound of someone munching food with his mouth open. He must have dozed off for a few minutes, and when he opened his eyes he saw Will standing by the elegant table of the bedroom, eating the caviar crackers hungrily. The boy was not wrapped in the thick duvet, and for a moment Hannibal admired the curve of his ass and his long, skinny legs.

 

‘They’re better with caviar on them’ he said amused, and the boy startled.  

 

‘So-sorry’ he muttered dropping the cracker and cupping his dick with his hands ‘I’m- I mean- I was—’

 

Hannibal left the bed and considered walking up to Will naked, just as the boy was, but he knew it would look intimidating to his skittish, bashful mate, even after the intimacy they had just shared in bed. The boy was already trembling in fear and shame, so Hannibal put on his navy blue robe and handed Will a crimson one he had prepared in anticipation for him.

 

‘I’m also hungry’ Hannibal said with a warm smile as he moved towards the table ‘Remember, all this food is here for us. Please, help yourself’.

 

The boy considered the half bitten cracker in his hand, and gave a tiny little bite as Hannibal helped himself to the foie gras.

 

‘What is cav- _cavier_?’ Will asked in a murmur, wondering which of the strange foods on the trays would that be.

 

Hannibal scooped a spoonful of the black, tiny eggs on a buttered cracker and lifted it to Will’s lips.

 

‘Open’ he said, and the boy obeyed shyly. Hannibal watched as he gave a tentative bite and made a face.

 

‘Aghg’ he said swallowing with a shiver ‘I don’t like it’.

 

Hannibal chuckled and ate the rest himself.

 

‘The taste will grow on you’, he muttered, but Will continued munching the plain crackers in silence. 

 

‘Dr. Lecter… I mean, Han- Hannibal, I wanted to say-’ the boy said after a moment, but his voice broke and he looked down ‘I wanted to ask…’

 

‘Go on, Will’ Hannibal encouraged as he picked a Greek black olive ‘You know you can ask me anything’.

 

The boy eyed the locked door of the bedroom and wrung his hands anxiously.

 

‘We haven’t done the consummation yet, have we?’

 

Hannibal ate the bitter olive slowly.

 

‘No’ he said at last, and left the pit on his napkin.

 

‘What you did before was very dirty’ the boy said in a barely audible whisper ‘I fear I shall be corrupted by experience’.

 

That made Hannibal frown out of sheer, genuine confusion.

 

‘Corrupted by experience?’ he repeated in his best psychiatrist voice.

 

‘Yes, like in the Blake poems. All the pure boys from _Songs of Innocence_ turned black or died sweeping chimneys in _Songs of Experience_ ’.

 

It took Hannibal a full minute to consider the boy’s words, and a long while to find a way to answer him. Will was growing more and more fascinating by the moment, and a dark urge uncoiled hot and urgent in his belly. It was not the familiar urge to take a life, as it had been his plan all along with the kid. All his previous mates had found death in this very same room sooner or later, but Hannibal now realized that he wanted more from the angelic Will. He wanted to possess him, in every way. To own him.

 

‘Will’ he started clearing his voice ‘William Blake had a very… pessimistic view about what he called _experience_. But that’s not always negative, _experience_ actually allows you to grow wiser and more knowledgeable. Besides, you’re not a chimney sweeper in pre-Romantic London’.

 

The boy frowned lost in thought.

 

‘But I fear the consummation will make me sick, like in _The Sick Rose_ ’.

 

Hannibal set his jaw. The night was not going as he had planned, and although Will’s innocence was both amusing and refreshing, it was also pretty infuriating. Frustrating, even. Hannibal prided himself for being a very patient man, but he would not spend hour after hour discussing with the boy about the poems, not when the consummation was hanging over their heads. Hannibal realized that prolonging an otherwise short and simple carnal act would not benefit the boy- actually, it would be better if Will’s fears were banished once and for all. 

 

‘Go to bed’ Hannibal ordered in a light commanding voice, suddenly convinced that stalling would take them nowhere. As the boy obeyed meekly, Hannibal got his iPad and sent Jack a final message. Then he sat on the bed with Will and looked straight into his eyes.

 

‘Will, this is what’s going to happen. I’m going to put my cock in your ass, deep and good. It will go all the way in, and you’ll take it to the very root. I’ll go slowly and I'll try to be as gentle as I can, but you will loose your virginity and it will smart quite a bit. You will also feel pleasure, I assure you. And once I’ve come deep inside you, the consummation will be over. The notary will certify it and we’ll move on. Do you understand?’

 

The boy was literally trembling all over, and he looked at Hannibal wide eyed.

 

‘In my—in my _ass_?’ he breathed in shock, and Hannibal put a hand to his chest and made him lie down.

 

‘In your ass’ he assured, and Will’s eyes filled with tears.

 

‘But that is- that is so _dirty_!’

 

‘Yes’ Hannibal admitted, tired of sweet talking the boy and needing to be brutally pragmatic ‘Dirty and messy, very much so. Now, bend your legs at the knee and look at me. If you close your eyes, I’ll get angry’.

 

Will swallowed hard and fixed his eyes on Hannibal, allowing to be positioned as was required of him. Hannibal opened the drawer of the bed side table and got the supplies that he had previously left there. Although the urge to claim and corrupt this sweet innocent boy was blinding him with lust, he would not hurt him. If the night had gone as he had planned, Hannibal would have used the slick almond oil combined with a long, languorous stretching to make his mate ready. But as things were, the boy needed to forget about the mysticism of _Songs of Innocence_ and bury his fears of the unknown. So, Hannibal uncapped the numbing fisting lube and scooped a good dollop on his fingers.

 

‘This is how men make love, Will’ he said parting the boy’s cheeks and spreading the thick cream around his tiny hole ‘It’s called anal sex, and we’ll do it every day from this night on’.

 

Will muffled a cry when he felt the long finger of the doctor going in, but more in surprise than in real pain. The slick, gooey cream was very warm and melting between his cheeks already, and he felt a funny tingling in his tight little hole.

 

‘Is this—’ he sobbed ‘Is this the consummation already?’

 

‘No, Will’ Hannibal murmured fingering him a little more ‘My cock is much thicker, and hard’.

 

Hannibal gave the cream a moment to kick in. He had always thought that numbing lubes constituted cheating, especially with a virgin on his wedding night. But Jack wouldn’t know, and besides, in this way he would be able to take Will quick and rough, just as they both needed it. There would be time for leisure, sensual love-making later in their marriage.

 

‘Relax’ Hannibal instructed as he put the boy’s ankles over his shoulders and nudged his tender anus with his cockhead ‘Deep breath now because you’re going to take every.inch.of.it’.

 

‘Ah!’ Will gasped when the engorged head pushed inside him, breaching his virgin anus and sliding slowly inside. He clenched instinctively and tried to fight it, but Hannibal waited it out and then pushed his cock further inside.

 

Sitting in the corridor outside, Jack nodded when he heard a pitiful whimper coming from behind the locked door of Hannibal’s bedroom. So many boys and girls faked their tears on the wedding night these days, but this boy was genuinely crying, there was no doubt about that. _Lucky kid_ , Jack thought to himself, and patiently waited as it was his job to do.

 

‘Stop’ Will begged as he wheezed and panted half-impaled on Hannibal’s cock ‘It’s too- too big- it won’t f-fit’.

 

‘Are you in pain? Hannibal asked stopping for a second and pulling back.

 

Will frowned deep and caught his breath.

 

‘I- I don’t know’.

 

Hannibal caressed the boy's anus, swollen and puffy and very red, but not torn or bleeding in any way.

 

‘Then it’s going in, Will. Deep to the balls, until I come inside you. Look at me’.

 

The boy obeyed, and Hannibal devoured the fear and pleasure that swam in his innocent tears. True to his word, he tried to be as gentle as he could, but he couldn’t help a growl of satisfaction as he shoved all the way in, stretching the boy to the limit and feeling his tight, virginal ass convulsing around him. Hannibal fucked him slowly, feeling Will writhe and gasp with every push, and reveling in the exquisite feeling of defiling his angelic mate. The idea of corrupting Will in this way blinded him with a searing lust, and he came inside the boy deep and good, pumping his belly full of creamy, sticky come.

 

‘Jack!’ Hannibal called as he remained still inside the sobbing boy, and the notary unlocked the door and entered the couple’s bedroom.

 

‘Congratulations, kid’ Jack said caressing the heated and tear stained face of the boy, who looked at him ashamed and confused.

 

‘Let’s see now…’ Jack mumbled as Hannibal pulled out and a rivulet of pink sperm oozed out of the kid’s overstretched hole.

 

‘Excellent’ Jack said scooping a bit of the mess with a Swab Specimen Collection Kit. He would send it to the laboratory to make sure that the fluids belonged to the couple and that there had been no foul play, although there rarely was ‘I now pronounce you legally married. Congratulations, Hannibal. Congratulations, Will'.

 

Jack eyed the gaping hole of the boy, so messy and twitching, and he gave a knowing smile.

 

‘I’ll leave you now to rest a little, and I’ll email the results of the test tomorrow. Not that I harbor any doubt, but you know it is my duty to comply with the Law’.

 

‘Of course’ Hannibal said ‘Thanks very much, Jack. And good night’.

 

‘Good night’ the notary said, and he left the room closing the doors shut with a click.

 

Hannibal took a moment to admire his thoroughly debauched mate, who lay sweaty and panting in his bed. Will still managed to look like an innocent cherub despite the semen and blood, and Hannibal had the sudden certainty that he would always keep his pure nature, no matter what he did or lived through.

 

‘How do you feel, Will?’ he asked in a soft tone, but the boy’s eyes swam with tears once more.

 

‘Like a poison tree’ he sniffled, and turning his back on Hannibal, he began to weep.

 


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I can't believe I finally wrapped this story up! ^=^ Thanks so much to the lovely nonny who encouraged me on tumblr <3 Enjoy!

Hannibal had never regretted any decision that he had taken in his life. He would be hard pressed to think when was the last time that he had felt remorseful about something, but now, as he paced his psychiatrist’s office, he realized the itchy feeling wouldn’t go away.

 

‘What’s wrong, Hannibal?’ Bedelia asked more in curiosity than concern ‘You seem… restless’.

 

Hannibal sat down in his therapy chair and schooled his face into a mask of perfect self-control.

 

‘I consummated my marriage last week’ was all he said, and Bedelia lifted an eyebrow.

 

‘Congratulations’.

 

‘It didn’t go as I had planned’.

 

‘First times seldom live up to our desires. Or to fantasies’.

 

‘I hardly have fantasies about first times anymore, Dr. Du Maurier’ Hannibal replied ‘But Will…’

 

 _Will_. His mate and partner had spent the whole week in silence, barely eating and reading compulsively from his Blake book. He went to bed with Hannibal, but curled over the edge of the bed, on the far end from where his husband slept. And Hannibal had allowed it. Maybe that’s why he felt so… upset.

 

‘I take it Will didn’t enjoy the consummation’ Bedelia said, and her pragmatic tone made Hannibal defensive.

 

‘It was just sex’ he retorted.

 

‘Sex for a boy who didn’t know it even existed’ Bedelia reminded him ‘That’s what you wanted, remember? _From another world_ , you said. And that’s exactly what I found for you’.

  

‘Indeed’ was all Hannibal said, and didn’t volunteer anything else.

 

‘I’m sure you did what you considered was best’ Bedelia continued ‘But—’

 

‘I allowed myself to be blinded by lust’ Hannibal cut in, and the interruption itself was even more shocking than the confession.

 

‘It’s hard to think with a clear mind when one is so emotionally invested in something. Impossible to anticipate thoughts, counter-thoughts, rationalizations’.

 

‘Is that your professional opinion? That I’m “emotionally invested” in my marriage?’

 

Bedelia thought for a moment before replying.

 

‘I think your momentary loss of control involved someone other than yourself. But it's nothing that you cannot navigate, Hannibal. Talk to Will. Let him see a glimpse of his true and bonded husband. If this boy is half as extraordinary as I think he is, he won't be afraid. On the contrary'.

 

‘I wasn’t aware that you were also a marriage counselor, Dr. Du Maurier’ Hannibal murmured, but his spiteful jab lost force as he spoke the words in defeat.

 

Bedelia smiled graciously and took her watch off.

 

‘I’ll make sure to include it in my fee’.

 

 

*

 

Hannibal found Will looking through the window of the guest room. The boy had been limping for two days after the consummation, something that made Hannibal equally proud and unbecomingly remorseful. He refused to label the prickly feeling as _guilt_ , that was for lesser minds. Will was fully recovered by now, though, and he looked as innocent and lost as the first day they met.

 

‘Hello, Will’ Hannibal called, and the boy turned around with a gasp.

 

‘I'm going to sit here until you're ready to talk’ Hannibal said ‘You don't have to say a word until you're ready, but I'm not going anywhere until you do’.

 

Hannibal clasped his hands over his lap in a gentle, patient gesture, and Will frowned confused. He had been hiding Blake’s book in his pocket, scared that his husband would take it away, but now he produced it with a mixture of sadness and frustration.

 

‘I can’t find any answers here’ was all that he muttered.

 

‘No book has all the answers we seek, Will. Especially when we hardly know the questions’.

 

‘They don’t make the same sense as before. The poems, I mean’.

 

Will flicked through the pages longingly, and Hannibal pressed his lips tight. The songs and poems had probably been the boy’s sole companions for many years, and his measure of the world around him. But now Will’s world had changed forever. Will himself had changed.

 

‘They will make sense again’ Hannibal assured ‘Poems grow with us, and you’ll find yourself returning to their comfort and wisdom in years to come. But they will never have all the answers you seek’.

 

‘Where can I find them, then?’ Will asked with that endearing pout of his, and Hannibal smiled despite himself.

 

‘In different life experiences, Will. Good, bad, indifferent. The more the better. Why don’t you keep a journal where you write your feelings about what you experience everyday? It may help you understand your thoughts and emotions better’.

 

‘OK’ he shyly replied, and left the old, tattered book on the window pane. His body was still tense, though, and Hannibal knew that something was troubling his young, and in many ways, still virginal mate.

 

‘Speak your mind, Will. You’re my lawful partner and mate, there’s nothing you should be afraid of’.

 

Will sat down in a chair by Hannibal’s side, his gaze lost in the rows of books on the far end of the room.

 

‘The consummation...’ he started, but quickly trailed off. He took a deep breath after a long moment of silence, steeling himself for the ordeal ahead, and then he let it all out in one long, confusing sentence.

 

‘You said… you said I would feel pleasure b-but… I didn’t like it—when… Because it hurt but-- the other thing was good, you know when you-- with your tongue but—and it’s been seven days already since we did “the anal sex” and- and….’ Will looked at Hannibal with unshed tears in his eyes ‘Are you going to do seven consummations with me tonight? Or eight tomorrow? Because you said we would do it every day and it’s been a week since---’

 

‘Will’ Hannibal said leaving his chair and holding the boy's hands in his ‘If we miss one day, they don’t add up to any tally. Our marriage has only just begun, none of us should be in any rush' Hannibal thumbed his tears away and looked into Will's eyes 'Here’s what we’re going to do. Whenever you want us to be intimate again, _you_ tell me. I won’t start anything until you’re ready, I give you my word’.

 

The kid sighed immensely relieved, and hugged Hannibal in an awkward embrace.

 

‘I was so scared’ Will whimpered against his shirt.

 

‘Hush, my boy’ Hannibal cooed, and he found himself reveling in the soothing embrace. Hannibal took comfort in comforting Will, stroking and caressing him in a nurturing hug that ended all too quickly. Hannibal was about to say something when Will looked at him and said:

 

‘And you?’

 

‘Me what?’ Hannibal asked in surprise.

 

‘Are you ready to talk?’ Will sniffled ‘You have listened to me, now I should listen to you as your mate?’

 

There was so much innocence in Will’s words, but also so much sincerity, that for a moment Hannibal didn’t know what to say.

 

‘I…’ Hannibal let out a sigh he wasn’t aware that he was holding ‘I know I hurt you, Will. I wish things had gone differently during our wedding night, but I cannot go back in time to change that’.

 

‘Nobody can’ Will solemnly said, and got lost in his thoughts of fear, sadness and loss for a long moment.

 

‘We’ll go forward, then' Hannibal promised squeezing his hands softly, and Will noded.  

 

'Forward' he muttered, and both gave a little, tentative smile to each other.

 

*

 

The next day, Hannibal decided to make some arrangements in the house now that he and Will would be living together as a bonded couple. He bought the boy his first Moleskine journal, and also moved a beloved old desk from his office to the guest room, now a private retreat where Will spent hours reading and writing.

 

Hannibal spent most part of the evenings on the living room, revising his notes on his patients, reading from several medical texts and writing his own articles, but he decided to sacrifice his routine for Will’s sake. Hannibal moved the TV set from the guest room to the living room, where his mate could watch movies after dinner, and he retired instead to his office to work. It wasn’t as comfortable, of course, and sometimes he returned to the living room and to his beloved leather chair to read something in his iPad while Will watched adventure movies.

 

The boy loved to fall asleep on the sofa as he watched movies and series, and Hannibal sometimes sat by his side, careful not to frighten him but caressing his curls in this sweet domesticity that now ruled their married life. Will hadn’t still inched closer to Hannibal in bed, or voiced any desire to be intimate again. Hannibal had promised himself and his mate that he would not initiate any sexual contact, but the truth was that he missed the body of his mate dearly. There was so much he could teach Will, so many delicious pleasures his beautiful boy had yet to discover. Hannibal felt an urgent lust stirring in his groin, but he steadfastly refused to acknowledge it. He would wait for Will to come to him, no matter how long it took. That had been his promise, and he would be true to his word.

 

*

  

‘I’ll join you later’ Hannibal said one night after dinner. Will was already cozily nested in the sofa, looking through the TV display what movie to watch that night.

 

'OK' he murmured absent-mindedly, and Hannibal retired to his office. He was expecting to return in only an hour, but as he started to rewrite some of his conclusions about social exclusion, he wasn’t finished until well after midnight. The TV was still on when he tiptoed back into the living room, but Will was not curled in a ball on the sofa as was his custom. Actually, the boy was very much awake and _panting_.

 

Hannibal was about to ask what was wrong when his gaze travelled to the screen, where a young boy was being slowly fucked by an older man. The movie Will had chosen for that night had probably ended a while ago, and the boy had somehow found the erotic channel on the TV. It had never occurred to Hannibal to block that channel as he rarely watched TV, but now his mate was watching the porno wide eyed.

 

‘May I sit down?’ Hannibal chuckled, and Will startled with a little cry.

 

‘S-ssorry, I was just- Just—’

 

Will fumbled for the remote control, but Hannibal found it first.

 

‘I like porn movies too’ Hannibal lied for Will’s benefit ‘But it’s been some time since I last watched one’.

 

‘You- you like them?’ Will asked in disbelief, and Hannibal nodded.

 

‘Everybody watches pornos, Will. There’s nothing wrong in it. The experience can actually be very exciting’.

 

Will was obviously ashamed and embarrassed, but he was also hard under his pajama bottoms. Very much so.

 

‘I started to watch it because- because---’

 

The boy on the screen started to moan as the older man increased his rhythm, and Will watched slacked jaw as after coming deep in the twink’s ass, the man pulled out and shoved his dribbling cock straight into the boy’s mouth.

 

‘ _Lick daddy clean, boy_ ’ he ordered, and the young twink obeyed with a look of utter devotion in his eyes.

 

‘Ewww!’ Will cried out in shock ‘Why-- Why—That’s so _dirty_!’

 

Hannibal decided it was the right time to switch the TV off.

 

‘That’s called ass to mouth. It is very dirty indeed, but that’s precisely why some people find it so pleasurable’.

 

‘But- but—’ Will was shivering all over, overwhelmed by what he had just seen, and trying to make sense of it all.

 

‘Human sexuality is very rich and varied, but that doesn’t mean you have to like what you just saw, Will. Not now, and probably not ever’.

 

‘But why did he call him _daddy_?’

 

‘It’s just a term of endearment. Like “baby” or “honey”’.

 

Will frowned and swallowed hard, his cute erection had not deflated but the emotional overload was making him breathe shallowly.

 

‘Do--- Do you like _that_ , Hannibal?’

 

‘I do’ Hannibal replied, knowing full well honesty and naturalness was the best strategy with Will ‘But I would never force it on you’.

 

‘It was _so filthy_ ’ Will whispered, the image etched vividly into his mind.

 

‘Don’t forget to write about this experience in your journal’ Hannibal said with a smile ‘Now, I think we should go to sleep. It’s very late already and—’

 

‘But’ Will cut in, and blushed unable to continue.

 

‘But?’ Hannibal teased eyeing his swollen erection.

 

‘I thought that maybe… Maybe… You know. I feel like maybe you could… Mmm… Like when you… _Suck my cock, please?_ ’ the boy finally blurted out.

 

Hannibal couldn’t help a wide grin. His boy, so shy and inexperienced, yet speaking the dirty language of the porno.

 

‘Of course, dear Will’ Hannibal replied with a wolfish grin ‘I’m going to suck that sweet little cocklet of yours. And I expect you to come in my mouth like the very good boy you are’.

 

Will was trembling like an aspen leaf, but his eyes looked clear and determined.

 

'Yes' he managed to whimper.

 

‘Then’ Hannibal continued inching closer to him in the sofa ‘I will put my cock in your mouth. I will let you lick and suck me, and I will fuck your pretty mouth until your lips are red and swollen. Would you like to have that experience, Will?’

 

‘I- I- think, so’ the boy replied in an eager whisper _‘Daddy’._

 

 

**EPILOGUE**

 

‘Happy First Anniversary’ Bedelia congratulated, and Hannibal smiled broadly.

 

‘Thank you. Will and I have come a long way’.

 

The two colleagues watched as Will played with his family of strays in the garden, jumping and running as much as the dogs did.

 

‘He’ll turn eighteen next month. I have planned a trip to Europe, to celebrate his birthday and enjoy the honeymoon we never had’.

 

‘I should inform you then that you’re free from the curse’.

 

Hannibal frowned.

 

‘I beg your pardon?’

 

‘Of course, you wouldn’t know. But your… _friends_ of the high society thought you were cursed, since no mate of yours survived more than a year with you’.

 

Hannibal half-closed his eyes in a calculating way, but Bedelia merely gave a little grin.

 

‘You’re no longer the Golden Widower in Baltimore, Hannibal. You don’t get stares or lifted eyebrows at the opera anymore. And I have to say that I’m happy for you... but especially for Will. He’s so full of life’.

 

Hannibal let the jab pass, and focused instead on his mate, who was laughing happy and carefree as he played with his beloved dogs. His dear Will, who still wrote on his journal every day, and who had filled ten journals during their first year of married life. His dear Will, who still amazed Hannibal with his innocent, candid questions, and who couldn’t help a stray tear when he returned to his Blake poems every now and then. His very dear and shy Will, who still blushed when Hannibal sucked his eager little dick, but who now loved to call Hannibal _daddy_ as he licked him clean every night, even when - _especially_ when- Hannibal had been pounding his sweet tight ass before.

 

‘I had thought about bringing you something special from Paris’ Hannibal said ‘But I think I’ll have a perfume custom made for you’.

 

'Sandalwood and white lilac, please' Bedelia smiled as she walked back to his car, leaving the happy couple to enjoy their most peculiar but undoubtedly joyful arranged marriage.

 


End file.
